<p>Attacking the Congress, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday hailed India’s 23 places jump in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business rankings and said the country had come a long way from the UPA era when it was the most difficult country to do business with.</p>

<p>In a Facebook post, he said despite inheriting the legacy of 142nd position in the coveted rankings, the Narendra Modi-led government had undertaken a series of reforms achieving a 65-point improvement to reach the 77th rank during its first four years. He said India would further improve its ranking by focusing on certain specific areas — including ‘starting a business’, ‘resolving insolvency’, ‘payment of taxes’ and ‘enforcement of contracts’ — and would have to make a special effort to achieve the Prime Minister’s target of breaking into the top-50 countries.</p>

<p>His remarks came a day after the World Bank’s latest Doing Business Report 2019 showed that various measures undertaken by the government had helped India improve its rank in six out of the ten parameters, helping it jump 23 places from its rank of 100 in the previous year.</p>

<p>The country had entered the top 100 last year with a bigger jump of 30 places. “India, during the ten years of the UPA, witnessed a high level of corruption, policy paralysis and abandonment of all reforms. UPA-II, in its five-year tenure, witnessed a global ranking 134, 132, 132, 134 and finally 142.</p>

<p>“This was UPA’s miserable track record. India was the most difficult to do business with. Investors were wary of coming to India. On the contrary, there was a reverse flight of capital from India by the investors,” Jaitley wrote. He said that Modi’s call in 2014 to appear among the first 50 nations in the ‘Ease of Doing Business’ seemed to be a tall promise since India had to move up 92 positions and not many were optimistic and regarded it as “an unachievable goal”.</p>

<p>“Changes required legislation, regulation, policy decisions and administrative reforms. They involved technical innovations. Moving up 92 positions is a daunting task,” he said. Jaitley added that the Modi government started working on each of the 10 criteria that are considered by the World Bank and moved up in the first two years to 130 before making a major jump of 30 positions to reach position 100 in the third year.</p>

<p>“And in the fourth year, we have moved to a position no. 77. This is a 65 point improvement in the first four years. We are still 27 positions away from the target. The impossible now looks plausible,” he wrote.</p>


Attacking the Congress, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday hailed India’s 23 places jump in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business rankings and said the country had come a long way from the UPA era when it was the most difficult country to do business with.

Attacking the Congress, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Thursday hailed India’s 23 places jump in the World Bank’s Ease of Doing Business rankings and said the country had come a long way from the UPA era when it was the most difficult country to do business with. In a Facebook post, he said despite inheriting the legacy of 142nd position in the coveted rankings, the Narendra Modi-led government had undertaken a series of reforms achieving a 65-point improvement to reach the 77th rank during its first four years. He said India would further improve its ranking by focusing on certain specific areas — including ‘starting a business’, ‘resolving insolvency’, ‘payment of taxes’ and ‘enforcement of contracts’ — and would have to make a special effort to achieve the Prime Minister’s target of breaking into the top-50 countries. His remarks came a day after the World Bank’s latest Doing Business Report 2019 showed that various measures undertaken by the government had helped India improve its rank in six out of the ten parameters, helping it jump 23 places from its rank of 100 in the previous year. The country had entered the top 100 last year with a bigger jump of 30 places. “India, during the ten years of the UPA, witnessed a high level of corruption, policy paralysis and abandonment of all reforms. UPA-II, in its five-year tenure, witnessed a global ranking 134, 132, 132, 134 and finally 142. “This was UPA’s miserable track record. India was the most difficult to do business with. Investors were wary of coming to India. On the contrary, there was a reverse flight of capital from India by the investors,” Jaitley wrote. He said that Modi’s call in 2014 to appear among the first 50 nations in the ‘Ease of Doing Business’ seemed to be a tall promise since India had to move up 92 positions and not many were optimistic and regarded it as “an unachievable goal”. “Changes required legislation, regulation, policy decisions and administrative reforms. They involved technical innovations. Moving up 92 positions is a daunting task,” he said. Jaitley added that the Modi government started working on each of the 10 criteria that are considered by the World Bank and moved up in the first two years to 130 before making a major jump of 30 positions to reach position 100 in the third year. “And in the fourth year, we have moved to a position no. 77. This is a 65 point improvement in the first four years. We are still 27 positions away from the target. The impossible now looks plausible,” he wrote.

India under UPA most difficult to do business with, says Arun Jaitley

<p>Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh expressed confidence that all “like-minded parties” in the Opposition which have the best interest of the nation at heart will support Congress chief Rahul Gandhi as the leader of a united alliance against the BJP-led NDA in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Singh also said the Congress party, under the leadership of Rahul, will return to power in 2019 as the people are “completely disillusioned” with the BJP and want a “positive change”. Singh, who is in Israel on a five-day visit, said India needed a young and dynamic leader to bring it out of the current mess and put it back on the global map.</p>

<p>“Rahul has all the qualities needed to be a great prime minister and he is the perfect man to lead the country, as I have always maintained,” Singh told PTI in an interview when asked if he really feels Rahul is the right man for the job of running the country. Singh is heading a high-level delegation to Israel to strengthen Punjab’s cooperation with it in the fields of agriculture, horticulture, dairy farming and wastewater management, besides trying to attract investments in the state. Singh said the people are tired of “misgovernance” by the BJP. “The people are completely disillusioned with the BJP and want a positive change,” he said.</p>

<p>“The escalating prices of diesel and petrol, the economic situation faced by the country just see the way the rupee is going viz a viz the dollar, the polarisation triggered by the BJP, the widespread unemployment, the way many of the ministers at the Centre are functioning – the people can see all that, and are sick and tired of it. “The time is up for the BJP. The Congress, under Rahul, is ready to take the reins of the country and bring it back on the path of progress and prosperity,” Singh said.</p>

<p>He said the entire Congress party is currently in election mode. “All of us, including me, are ready to put all our might into ensuring that the party wins each one of them,” he said. When asked whether opposition parties would be able to accept Rahul as the leader of a united alliance against the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, Singh said all like-minded parties which have the best interests of the nation at heart will embrace him warmly as their leader.</p>

<p>“Other opposition parties know that the Congress is the only party that can lead an effective campaign against the BJP, and they also know that Rahul is more than capable of leading the united opposition. As I have said earlier, it is important to have the right kind of alliances at this juncture if we are to save the nation from the misgovernance of the BJP and its allies,” he said. Singh expressed confidence that the Congress would win each of the states going to polls, referring to the assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana and Mizoram and Chhattisgarh.</p>

<p>Asked whether he would form an alliance with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab for the 2019 elections if there is a national alliance of the Congress with them, Singh said the Congress in Punjab will sweep the election on its own and does not need allies. “We have also conveyed this to the Congress high command. But at the same time, we have told them that the final decision rests with them, which they would need to take keeping all exigencies in mind,” he said.</p>


Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh expressed confidence that all “like-minded parties” in the Opposition which have the best interest of the nation at heart will support Congress chief Rahul Gandhi as the leader of a united alliance against the BJP-led NDA in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.

Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh expressed confidence that all “like-minded parties” in the Opposition which have the best interest of the nation at heart will support Congress chief Rahul Gandhi as the leader of a united alliance against the BJP-led NDA in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls. Singh also said the Congress party, under the leadership of Rahul, will return to power in 2019 as the people are “completely disillusioned” with the BJP and want a “positive change”. Singh, who is in Israel on a five-day visit, said India needed a young and dynamic leader to bring it out of the current mess and put it back on the global map. “Rahul has all the qualities needed to be a great prime minister and he is the perfect man to lead the country, as I have always maintained,” Singh told PTI in an interview when asked if he really feels Rahul is the right man for the job of running the country. Singh is heading a high-level delegation to Israel to strengthen Punjab’s cooperation with it in the fields of agriculture, horticulture, dairy farming and wastewater management, besides trying to attract investments in the state. Singh said the people are tired of “misgovernance” by the BJP. “The people are completely disillusioned with the BJP and want a positive change,” he said. “The escalating prices of diesel and petrol, the economic situation faced by the country just see the way the rupee is going viz a viz the dollar, the polarisation triggered by the BJP, the widespread unemployment, the way many of the ministers at the Centre are functioning – the people can see all that, and are sick and tired of it. “The time is up for the BJP. The Congress, under Rahul, is ready to take the reins of the country and bring it back on the path of progress and prosperity,” Singh said. He said the entire Congress party is currently in election mode. “All of us, including me, are ready to put all our might into ensuring that the party wins each one of them,” he said. When asked whether opposition parties would be able to accept Rahul as the leader of a united alliance against the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, Singh said all like-minded parties which have the best interests of the nation at heart will embrace him warmly as their leader. “Other opposition parties know that the Congress is the only party that can lead an effective campaign against the BJP, and they also know that Rahul is more than capable of leading the united opposition. As I have said earlier, it is important to have the right kind of alliances at this juncture if we are to save the nation from the misgovernance of the BJP and its allies,” he said. Singh expressed confidence that the Congress would win each of the states going to polls, referring to the assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Telangana and Mizoram and Chhattisgarh. Asked whether he would form an alliance with Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) in Punjab for the 2019 elections if there is a national alliance of the Congress with them, Singh said the Congress in Punjab will sweep the election on its own and does not need allies. “We have also conveyed this to the Congress high command. But at the same time, we have told them that the final decision rests with them, which they would need to take keeping all exigencies in mind,” he said.

Like-minded parties will support Rahul Gandhi as leader of united alliance against BJP: Amarinder Singh

<p>Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has blamed the Congress-led UPA regime for public and private sector banks facing huge corporate bad loans.</p>

<p>The loans were provided without following due diligence and as a result, defaulters fled the country and the banks had no money to lend, Sitharaman said while referring to fugitive business barons like Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi.</p>

<p>Sitharaman had also held the portfolios of corporate affairs and finance (Minister of State) and was the Minister of State (Independent Charge), Commerce and Industry.</p>

<p>Huge loans were provided by banks at the drop of a hat "when a phone call was made," by the powers that be, the minister said, addressing a Bharatiya Janata Party traders wing meet here Tuesday.</p>

<p>Since such loans were not paid back till date, the banks faced a crunch and could not lend for new businesses, she claimed.</p>

<p>"Public and private sector banks are all facing difficulty due to this. Though policy allowed banks to provide loans, banks are not prepared to lend as they do not have money. Why this happened," she asked.</p>

<p>Loans were provided to "acquaintances" without any assessment, scrutiny or background check to ascertain if the promoters could actually carry on the business and pay back the loan, and it was "crony capitalism," followed by the UPA regime, she alleged.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Under the guise of providing loans to do business, banks were made to lend without assessing factors like repayment capabilities, assets and expertise and they (apparently referring to Vijay Mallya and others) have departed with the money and the banks do not have money," Sitharaman said.</p>

<p>Under such circumstances, to achieve 7.5 to 8 per cent growth (GDP) rate, several efforts have been taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she said.</p>

<p>To tackle the issue of defaulters fleeing the country after cheating banks, an enabling legislation - The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 - was passed which envisaged attachment of properties, she said.</p>

<p>"This law was not brought during their (UPA) regime)," she said.</p>

<p>The defaulters fled the country in view of tough action. Even if the defaulters had fled the country, efforts are being made to bring them back home to justice and attach their properties as well for default, she said.</p>

<p>Sitharaman said the BJP-led Centre has given good governance and all welfare schemes have to be taken to the people.</p>

<p>If a comparison was made between the 48 years rule of the Congress and other parties at the Centre and the BJP-led NDA for the past 48 months, she said it could be understood that what the Centre has been doing was a "herculean task".</p>

<p>"During the 10 years of the UPA regime, they did nothing to give good governance," she said.</p>

<p>"At that time, even at the cost of "betrayal" of the country, those who held power eyed only things that could be "grabbed," and the then prime minister Manmohan Singh was not bothered about it even as corruption reigned," she alleged.</p>

<p>Sitharaman spoke about other welfare schemes of the Centre like the 'Ayushman Bharat.'</p>

<p>The traders' wing meet was the starting point to the Lok Sabha campaign in Tamil Nadu, she said.&nbsp;</p>


Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has blamed the Congress-led UPA regime for public and private sector banks facing huge corporate bad loans. The loans were provided without following due diligence and as a result, defaulters fled the country and the banks had no money to lend, Sitharaman said while referring to fugitive business barons like Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi.

Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has blamed the Congress-led UPA regime for public and private sector banks facing huge corporate bad loans. The loans were provided without following due diligence and as a result, defaulters fled the country and the banks had no money to lend, Sitharaman said while referring to fugitive business barons like Vijay Mallya and Nirav Modi. Sitharaman had also held the portfolios of corporate affairs and finance (Minister of State) and was the Minister of State (Independent Charge), Commerce and Industry. Huge loans were provided by banks at the drop of a hat "when a phone call was made," by the powers that be, the minister said, addressing a Bharatiya Janata Party traders wing meet here Tuesday. Since such loans were not paid back till date, the banks faced a crunch and could not lend for new businesses, she claimed. "Public and private sector banks are all facing difficulty due to this. Though policy allowed banks to provide loans, banks are not prepared to lend as they do not have money. Why this happened," she asked. Loans were provided to "acquaintances" without any assessment, scrutiny or background check to ascertain if the promoters could actually carry on the business and pay back the loan, and it was "crony capitalism," followed by the UPA regime, she alleged. "Under the guise of providing loans to do business, banks were made to lend without assessing factors like repayment capabilities, assets and expertise and they (apparently referring to Vijay Mallya and others) have departed with the money and the banks do not have money," Sitharaman said. Under such circumstances, to achieve 7.5 to 8 per cent growth (GDP) rate, several efforts have been taken by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, she said. To tackle the issue of defaulters fleeing the country after cheating banks, an enabling legislation - The Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code, 2016 - was passed which envisaged attachment of properties, she said. "This law was not brought during their (UPA) regime)," she said. The defaulters fled the country in view of tough action. Even if the defaulters had fled the country, efforts are being made to bring them back home to justice and attach their properties as well for default, she said. Sitharaman said the BJP-led Centre has given good governance and all welfare schemes have to be taken to the people. If a comparison was made between the 48 years rule of the Congress and other parties at the Centre and the BJP-led NDA for the past 48 months, she said it could be understood that what the Centre has been doing was a "herculean task". "During the 10 years of the UPA regime, they did nothing to give good governance," she said. "At that time, even at the cost of "betrayal" of the country, those who held power eyed only things that could be "grabbed," and the then prime minister Manmohan Singh was not bothered about it even as corruption reigned," she alleged. Sitharaman spoke about other welfare schemes of the Centre like the 'Ayushman Bharat.' The traders' wing meet was the starting point to the Lok Sabha campaign in Tamil Nadu, she said.

Sitharaman blames UPA for bad loans, defaulters fleeing country

<p>Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday stated that the constitutional arrangement can never be protected only by the judiciary and that the onus rests with the political leadership, civil society, religious leaders and the intelligentsia.</p>

<p>"No constitutional arrangement can be protected only by the judiciary. However vigilant the judges may be, ultimately it comes down to political leadership, civil society, religious leaders and intelligentsia to defend the constitution and its secular commitment," Singh stated.</p>

<p>"The judiciary needs to arrive at its own enlightened view of its custodianship of the constitution irrespective of the irresponsible and selfish politicians who may have no qualms in injecting the communal virus in our body politic," the former Prime Minister noted.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">No constitutional arrangement can be protected only by judiciary. However vigilant the judges may be, ultimately it comes down to political leadership, civil society, religious leaders&amp;intelligentsia to defend constitution&amp;its secular commitment: Former PM Manmohan Singh (25.09) <a href="https://t.co/roXJQ53LY4">pic.twitter.com/roXJQ53LY4</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1044663806943621120?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>Singh also commented on the Indian Armed Forces saying that it enjoys a "glorious record of keeping away from politicians' manipulations and intrigues."</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The judiciary needs to arrive at its own enlightened view of its custodianship of the constitution irrespective of the irresponsible and selfish politicians who may have no qualms in injecting communal virus in our body politic: Former PM Manmohan Singh in Delhi (25.09.2018) <a href="https://t.co/B8fwWSxokD">pic.twitter.com/B8fwWSxokD</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1044665260496445440?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>"As the custodian of the integrity of the electoral process, it is incumbent upon the Election Commission to see to it that religion, religious sentiments and prejudices do not get worked into the election discourse," Singh shared.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Our Armed Forces are a splendid embodiment of our secular project. Our Armed Forces have a glorious record of keeping away from politicians' manipulation&amp; intrigues. It's vitally important that they remain uncontaminated from any sectarian appeal: Former PM Manmohan Singh (25.09) <a href="https://t.co/gQqzvtvXwE">pic.twitter.com/gQqzvtvXwE</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1044666555798216704?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>Ex-Prime Minister's comments came amid the government's plans to celebrate on September 29 the second anniversary of the surgical strikes on terror camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir(PoK). The Congress has been accusing the Modi government of politicising the armed forces for electoral gains.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">As the custodian of the integrity of the electoral process, it is incumbent upon the Election Commission to see to it that religion, religious sentiments and prejudices do not get worked into the election discourse: Former PM Manmohan Singh (25.09.2018) <a href="https://t.co/ZEFPLIuy7Y">pic.twitter.com/ZEFPLIuy7Y</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1044668584545284096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 25, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to rule on the disqualification issue stating that the Parliament must create a law to bar candidates with criminal background from contesting elections.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Parliament must ensure that criminals must not come to politics," Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra noted while reading out the verdict on PIL seeking to disqualify candidates contesting polls. &nbsp;</p>

<p>(<em>With inputs from agencies</em>) &nbsp;</p>


Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday stated that the constitutional arrangement can never be protected only by the judiciary and that the onus rests with the political leadership, civil society, religious leaders and the intelligentsia.

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday stated that the constitutional arrangement can never be protected only by the judiciary and that the onus rests with the political leadership, civil society, religious leaders and the intelligentsia. "No constitutional arrangement can be protected only by the judiciary. However vigilant the judges may be, ultimately it comes down to political leadership, civil society, religious leaders and intelligentsia to defend the constitution and its secular commitment," Singh stated. "The judiciary needs to arrive at its own enlightened view of its custodianship of the constitution irrespective of the irresponsible and selfish politicians who may have no qualms in injecting the communal virus in our body politic," the former Prime Minister noted. No constitutional arrangement can be protected only by judiciary. However vigilant the judges may be, ultimately it comes down to political leadership, civil society, religious leaders&intelligentsia to defend constitution&its secular commitment: Former PM Manmohan Singh (25.09) pic.twitter.com/roXJQ53LY4 — ANI (@ANI) September 25, 2018 × Singh also commented on the Indian Armed Forces saying that it enjoys a "glorious record of keeping away from politicians' manipulations and intrigues." The judiciary needs to arrive at its own enlightened view of its custodianship of the constitution irrespective of the irresponsible and selfish politicians who may have no qualms in injecting communal virus in our body politic: Former PM Manmohan Singh in Delhi (25.09.2018) pic.twitter.com/B8fwWSxokD — ANI (@ANI) September 25, 2018 × "As the custodian of the integrity of the electoral process, it is incumbent upon the Election Commission to see to it that religion, religious sentiments and prejudices do not get worked into the election discourse," Singh shared. Our Armed Forces are a splendid embodiment of our secular project. Our Armed Forces have a glorious record of keeping away from politicians' manipulation& intrigues. It's vitally important that they remain uncontaminated from any sectarian appeal: Former PM Manmohan Singh (25.09) pic.twitter.com/gQqzvtvXwE — ANI (@ANI) September 25, 2018 × Ex-Prime Minister's comments came amid the government's plans to celebrate on September 29 the second anniversary of the surgical strikes on terror camps in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir(PoK). The Congress has been accusing the Modi government of politicising the armed forces for electoral gains. As the custodian of the integrity of the electoral process, it is incumbent upon the Election Commission to see to it that religion, religious sentiments and prejudices do not get worked into the election discourse: Former PM Manmohan Singh (25.09.2018) pic.twitter.com/ZEFPLIuy7Y — ANI (@ANI) September 25, 2018 × Meanwhile, the Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to rule on the disqualification issue stating that the Parliament must create a law to bar candidates with criminal background from contesting elections. "Parliament must ensure that criminals must not come to politics," Chief Justice of India Dipak Misra noted while reading out the verdict on PIL seeking to disqualify candidates contesting polls. (With inputs from agencies)

Religious sentiments, prejudices should not get worked into election discourse: Manmohan Singh 

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday visited Odisha and laid the foundation stone of Talcher Fertiliser Plant in Talcher, news agency ANI reported. He also addressed a rally here during which he lashed out at the previous UPA government for the closure of industries during its rule.</p>

<p>"UPA regime failed to revive closed industries," PM Modi noted.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Prime Minister said that the NDA government revived industries for the development of the nation.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Odisha: Prime Minister Narendra Modi lays foundation stone of Talcher Fertiliser Plant in Talcher <a href="https://t.co/LjQ43NPsyV">pic.twitter.com/LjQ43NPsyV</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1043370096578764805?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 22, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>After laying the foundation stone of the Talcher fertiliser plant, the Prime Minister stated that the "work on fertiliser plants picked up speed" with the BJP assuming power.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">When BJP govt came to power in the centre, the work on fertiliser plants picked up speed. I ensure you that the construction of Talcher Fertiliser Plant will be completed in 36 months &amp; I'll again come here to inaugurate it: PM Modi at a public rally in Talcher. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Odisha?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Odisha</a> <a href="https://t.co/Ja70Uqg42j">pic.twitter.com/Ja70Uqg42j</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1043379384097234950?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 22, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>"I ensure you that the construction of Talcher Fertiliser Plant will be completed in 36 months and I'll again come here to inaugurate it," PM Modi addressed the rally at Talcher. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the Rs 13,000 crore-project to revive the Talcher fertiliser plant will for the first time see coal being converted into gas for use as the feedstock and for producing neem-coated urea.</p>

<p>"Our aim is to take India to new heights of growth," he said.</p>

<p>Talcher fertiliser project of the Fertilizer Corporation of India was shut in 2002 by the then BJP-led NDA government as frequent power restrictions, obsolete and mismatch of technology made the plant economically unviable.</p>

<p>The government in August 2011 decided to revive the plant.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Three days ago, the central govt took a decision that was needed since decades. The decision was on Triple Talaq. No one was ready to even talk about it due to the fear of losing votes. Now, it has been declared illegal: PM Narendra Modi at a public rally in Talcher. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Odisha?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Odisha</a> <a href="https://t.co/UpIKzuPuZK">pic.twitter.com/UpIKzuPuZK</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1043383850657767424?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 22, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>The Prime Minister, on the sidelines of the Talcher event, asked Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to link the people of the state with the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme. The scheme provides Rs 5 lakh health insurance to the people.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">You have broken all records of previous rallies. This huge crowd portrays the sentiments of the people of Odisha: PM Modi at a public rally in Talcher. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Odisha?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Odisha</a> <a href="https://t.co/fK8gDEJuGq">pic.twitter.com/fK8gDEJuGq</a></p>
— ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/1043376590715899904?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 22, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>"I urge Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik to link people of the state with Ayushman Bharat scheme to be launched on Sunday," he said.</p>

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<p>&nbsp;</p>


Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday visited Odisha and laid the foundation stone of Talcher Fertiliser Plant in Talcher, news agency ANI reported. He also addressed a rally here during which he lashed out at the previous UPA government for the closure of industries during its rule.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday visited Odisha and laid the foundation stone of Talcher Fertiliser Plant in Talcher, news agency ANI reported. He also addressed a rally here during which he lashed out at the previous UPA government for the closure of industries during its rule. "UPA regime failed to revive closed industries," PM Modi noted. The Prime Minister said that the NDA government revived industries for the development of the nation. Odisha: Prime Minister Narendra Modi lays foundation stone of Talcher Fertiliser Plant in Talcher pic.twitter.com/LjQ43NPsyV — ANI (@ANI) September 22, 2018 × After laying the foundation stone of the Talcher fertiliser plant, the Prime Minister stated that the "work on fertiliser plants picked up speed" with the BJP assuming power. When BJP govt came to power in the centre, the work on fertiliser plants picked up speed. I ensure you that the construction of Talcher Fertiliser Plant will be completed in 36 months & I'll again come here to inaugurate it: PM Modi at a public rally in Talcher. #Odisha pic.twitter.com/Ja70Uqg42j — ANI (@ANI) September 22, 2018 × "I ensure you that the construction of Talcher Fertiliser Plant will be completed in 36 months and I'll again come here to inaugurate it," PM Modi addressed the rally at Talcher. Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the Rs 13,000 crore-project to revive the Talcher fertiliser plant will for the first time see coal being converted into gas for use as the feedstock and for producing neem-coated urea. "Our aim is to take India to new heights of growth," he said. Talcher fertiliser project of the Fertilizer Corporation of India was shut in 2002 by the then BJP-led NDA government as frequent power restrictions, obsolete and mismatch of technology made the plant economically unviable. The government in August 2011 decided to revive the plant. Three days ago, the central govt took a decision that was needed since decades. The decision was on Triple Talaq. No one was ready to even talk about it due to the fear of losing votes. Now, it has been declared illegal: PM Narendra Modi at a public rally in Talcher. #Odisha pic.twitter.com/UpIKzuPuZK — ANI (@ANI) September 22, 2018 × The Prime Minister, on the sidelines of the Talcher event, asked Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik to link the people of the state with the Ayushman Bharat health insurance scheme. The scheme provides Rs 5 lakh health insurance to the people. You have broken all records of previous rallies. This huge crowd portrays the sentiments of the people of Odisha: PM Modi at a public rally in Talcher. #Odisha pic.twitter.com/fK8gDEJuGq — ANI (@ANI) September 22, 2018 × "I urge Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik to link people of the state with Ayushman Bharat scheme to be launched on Sunday," he said. ×

UPA regime failed to revive closed industries: PM Modi in Odisha

<p>Prime Minister Narendra Modi today hit out at the previous UPA government for "policy paralysis" in the defence sector and told foreign companies that it will not take a decade to take a decision on procurement of a batch of 110 fighter jets.</p>

<p>In his address after inaugurating the four-day Defence Expo here, Modi said "laziness, incompetence or perhaps some hidden motives" of the previous government had badly impacted the defence sector.</p>

<p>Policy paralysis in the defence sector during the previous regime had affected the country's military preparedness, the prime minister said, adding that the NDA government's efforts to build a partnership with defence industries will be guided by the "highest ideals of integrity and probity".</p>

<p>"There was a time when the critical issue of defence preparedness was hampered by policy paralysis. We have seen the damage such laziness, incompetence or perhaps some hidden motives can cause to the nation. Not now, not anymore, never," he said.</p>

<p>Modi also took a dig at the UPA regime for failing to conclude a deal to procure 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) after a long-drawn selection process.</p>

<p>"You would also recall the long-drawn process of procurement of fighter aircraft that never reached any conclusion. We have not only taken bold action to meet our immediate critical requirements, but have also initiated a new process to procure 110 fighter aircraft. We do not want to spend 10 years in discussions without any tangible outcomes," he said.</p>

<p>The government last week began the process to procure around 110 fighter jets by issuing an RFI (Request for Information) or initial tender. It is the first mega procurement initiative for fighter jets after the government scrapped the process to acquire 126 MMRCA for the Indian Air Force about five years ago.</p>

<p>"We will work with you with a sense of mission to keep our defence forces equipped with state-of-the-art systems, and to create the necessary domestic manufacturing ecosystem to achieve this. And, in all our efforts to pursue efficiency and effectiveness in partnership with you, we will be guided by the highest ideals of integrity and probity," he said.</p>

<p>Following scrapping of the MMRCA deal, the NDA government in September 2016 signed a Euro 7.87 billion (approx Rs 59,000 crore) deal with the French government for the purchase of 36 Rafale twin-engine fighter jets.</p>

<p>Ramping up its attack on the government over the Rafale issue, the Congress claims that the deal negotiated under its rule was much cheaper than the contract signed by the Modi government to procure the Rafale jets.</p>

<p>The UPA government floated a tender in 2007 for the purchase of 126 MMRCA for the Air Force. After negotiations, only Rafale and Eurofighter Typhoon remained in the reckoning. However, the deal could not be finalised by the UPA regime</p>

<p>Modi said the government was committed to making India a leading manufacturer of defence equipment and building two defence industrial corridors, "with room for everyone".</p>

<p>"We are committed to establishing two defence industrial corridors: one in Tamil Nadu and other in Uttar Pradesh. These will utilize defence manufacturing ecosystems in the regions and further build upon it. The corridors will become engines of economic development and growth of defence industrial base," he said.</p>

<p>Modi said venture capital and start-ups in defence sector will be encouraged.</p>


'There was a time when the critical issue of defence preparedness was hampered by policy paralysis. We have seen the damage such laziness, incompetence or perhaps some hidden motives can cause to the nation. Not now, not anymore, never,' Modi said

Prime Minister Narendra Modi today hit out at the previous UPA government for "policy paralysis" in the defence sector and told foreign companies that it will not take a decade to take a decision on procurement of a batch of 110 fighter jets. In his address after inaugurating the four-day Defence Expo here, Modi said "laziness, incompetence or perhaps some hidden motives" of the previous government had badly impacted the defence sector. Policy paralysis in the defence sector during the previous regime had affected the country's military preparedness, the prime minister said, adding that the NDA government's efforts to build a partnership with defence industries will be guided by the "highest ideals of integrity and probity". "There was a time when the critical issue of defence preparedness was hampered by policy paralysis. We have seen the damage such laziness, incompetence or perhaps some hidden motives can cause to the nation. Not now, not anymore, never," he said. Modi also took a dig at the UPA regime for failing to conclude a deal to procure 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) after a long-drawn selection process. "You would also recall the long-drawn process of procurement of fighter aircraft that never reached any conclusion. We have not only taken bold action to meet our immediate critical requirements, but have also initiated a new process to procure 110 fighter aircraft. We do not want to spend 10 years in discussions without any tangible outcomes," he said. The government last week began the process to procure around 110 fighter jets by issuing an RFI (Request for Information) or initial tender. It is the first mega procurement initiative for fighter jets after the government scrapped the process to acquire 126 MMRCA for the Indian Air Force about five years ago. "We will work with you with a sense of mission to keep our defence forces equipped with state-of-the-art systems, and to create the necessary domestic manufacturing ecosystem to achieve this. And, in all our efforts to pursue efficiency and effectiveness in partnership with you, we will be guided by the highest ideals of integrity and probity," he said. Following scrapping of the MMRCA deal, the NDA government in September 2016 signed a Euro 7.87 billion (approx Rs 59,000 crore) deal with the French government for the purchase of 36 Rafale twin-engine fighter jets. Ramping up its attack on the government over the Rafale issue, the Congress claims that the deal negotiated under its rule was much cheaper than the contract signed by the Modi government to procure the Rafale jets. The UPA government floated a tender in 2007 for the purchase of 126 MMRCA for the Air Force. After negotiations, only Rafale and Eurofighter Typhoon remained in the reckoning. However, the deal could not be finalised by the UPA regime Modi said the government was committed to making India a leading manufacturer of defence equipment and building two defence industrial corridors, "with room for everyone". "We are committed to establishing two defence industrial corridors: one in Tamil Nadu and other in Uttar Pradesh. These will utilize defence manufacturing ecosystems in the regions and further build upon it. The corridors will become engines of economic development and growth of defence industrial base," he said. Modi said venture capital and start-ups in defence sector will be encouraged.

'Laziness, incompetence' of previous govt hurt India's defence: Modi

<p>With the soaring petrol and diesel prices, Congress president Rahul Gandhi is leaving no chance to criticise PM Modi, holding him accountable for being ignorant about higher fuel prices.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Gandhi took to Twitter and wrote: "The poor & the middle class bear the brunt of rising fuel prices. In this video, our PM is quite obviously talking about some other country," while also attaching a video.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The poor & the middle class bear the brunt of rising fuel prices. In this video, our PM is quite obviously talking about some other country. <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PeTrolled?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PeTrolled</a> <a href="https://t.co/J6PHC7UsJZ">pic.twitter.com/J6PHC7UsJZ</a></p>
— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) <a href="https://twitter.com/RahulGandhi/status/981465487539400709?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">April 4, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p>Petrol and diesel prices are on an uptrend amid firming global crude prices. The rates of the two fuels have been so far increased 14 times since March 18, 2018.</p>

<p>At current level, petrol prices are up Rs 3.98 per litre in Delhi, Rs 3.94 per litre in Kolkata, Rs 3.93 per litre in Mumbai and Rs 4.19 per litre in Chennai so far this year. Diesel rates are up Rs. 5.18 per litre, Rs 5.21 per litre, Rs 5.75 per litre and Rs 5.55 per litre respectively.</p>

<p>The OMCs while deciding the prices of fuel, take into consideration the performance of international crude oil, adding government’s excise duty and various state’s value added tax (VAT), however, currently the state-owned OMCs face a difficult time in regards to trimming down fuel prices as they have limited room for it, which results in consumers ending up paying higher petrol and diesel prices.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The reason for the hike in fuel prices are due to the surge in international crude oil prices and the reluctance of government in cutting excise duty and state’s VAT.&nbsp;</p>

<p>On Wednesday, Finance minister Dr TM Thomas Isaac refused to cut sales tax on petroleum saying that even the smallest change tax on petroleum products will decimate the states impoverished economy.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Presently, the state is facing a deficit in tax revenue. Hence the state cannot afford to lose this revenue and an appropriate decision will be taken ...</p>

<p>Gandhi previously attacked Modi saying that when UPA was in power, the oil price was $140 per barrel and today it is half in the international market.</p>

<p>"When in the international market petrol price was coming down, you are paying high. In whose pocket is the money going? Your money is being looted from you and is being given to 10/12 rich people," he said.</p>


Petrol and diesel prices are on an uptrend amid firming global crude prices. The rates of the two fuels have been so far increased 14 times since March 18, 2018

With the soaring petrol and diesel prices, Congress president Rahul Gandhi is leaving no chance to criticise PM Modi, holding him accountable for being ignorant about higher fuel prices. Gandhi took to Twitter and wrote: "The poor & the middle class bear the brunt of rising fuel prices. In this video, our PM is quite obviously talking about some other country," while also attaching a video. The poor & the middle class bear the brunt of rising fuel prices. In this video, our PM is quite obviously talking about some other country. #PeTrolled pic.twitter.com/J6PHC7UsJZ — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 4, 2018 × Petrol and diesel prices are on an uptrend amid firming global crude prices. The rates of the two fuels have been so far increased 14 times since March 18, 2018. At current level, petrol prices are up Rs 3.98 per litre in Delhi, Rs 3.94 per litre in Kolkata, Rs 3.93 per litre in Mumbai and Rs 4.19 per litre in Chennai so far this year. Diesel rates are up Rs. 5.18 per litre, Rs 5.21 per litre, Rs 5.75 per litre and Rs 5.55 per litre respectively. The OMCs while deciding the prices of fuel, take into consideration the performance of international crude oil, adding government’s excise duty and various state’s value added tax (VAT), however, currently the state-owned OMCs face a difficult time in regards to trimming down fuel prices as they have limited room for it, which results in consumers ending up paying higher petrol and diesel prices. The reason for the hike in fuel prices are due to the surge in international crude oil prices and the reluctance of government in cutting excise duty and state’s VAT. On Wednesday, Finance minister Dr TM Thomas Isaac refused to cut sales tax on petroleum saying that even the smallest change tax on petroleum products will decimate the states impoverished economy. Presently, the state is facing a deficit in tax revenue. Hence the state cannot afford to lose this revenue and an appropriate decision will be taken ... Gandhi previously attacked Modi saying that when UPA was in power, the oil price was $140 per barrel and today it is half in the international market. "When in the international market petrol price was coming down, you are paying high. In whose pocket is the money going? Your money is being looted from you and is being given to 10/12 rich people," he said.

Rising fuel prices: Rahul calls Modi 'king of misinformation'

<p>Coming down hard on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi said on Saturday that the ruling dispensation was undoing the work of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government.</p>

<p>&quot;The Modi government is not interested in addressing the needs of the poor. They are just ignoring and weakening the welfare programmes that we implemented it when we were in power,&quot; Sonia said while addressing party leaders at the 84th Congress plenary session, being held here.</p>

<p>&quot;In the last four years, this arrogant (Modi) government has left no stone unturned to destroy Congress. But Congress has never cowered down and it will never cower down,&quot; she asserted.</p>

<p>The former Congress president continued her tirade against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government claiming that her party was &quot;exposing fraud and corruption&quot; by the Modi government using proof.</p>

<p>Commenting on the rise of communal violence and lawlessness in the country under the BJP government, Sonia added, &quot;Wherever there is a non-Congress government, our friends are taking a stand against anarchy and violence in different places. They are continuing with their work and braving all of it. It is the Congress party which takes stand against injustice and raises its voice against it (violence).&quot;</p>

<p>Vowing to make India free from political vendetta and corruption, Sonia underscored that it was important for all to address the challenges and called for efforts to fulfill a &#39;corruption-free India&#39; under the leadership of her son and Congress President Rahul Gandhi respectively.</p>

<p>She also took a jibe at the BJP-led government&#39;s slogans of &#39;<em>Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas</em>&#39; and &#39;<em>Na </em><em>khaaoonga</em><em> </em><em>na</em><em> </em><em>khaane</em><em> doona</em>&#39;, saying that it was nothing but &quot;drama and tactic&quot; by the prime minister to garner votes.</p>

<p>Sonia went on to say that during former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh&#39;s rule at the Centre for 10 years, India had achieved a very high economic growth.</p>

<p>Citing the example of late Indira Gandhi&#39;s stunning victory at Chikmagalur in Karnataka 40 years ago, the Congress veteran further said the party had to rediscover the &#39;magic&#39; of winning the next year&#39;s general elections, adding that the Congress party&#39;s victory would be equal to a victory for the country.</p>

<p>Sonia also praised Rahul for taking over as the Congress President at such a &#39;challenging time&#39; and underscored that under her son&#39;s leadership, the party would reach new heights.</p>

<p>The grand-old party at the plenary session will ratify Rahul&#39;s appointment as the Congress President and select members for the Congress Working Committee.</p>


Vowing to make India free from political vendetta and corruption, Sonia underscored that it was important for all to address the challenges

Coming down hard on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Congress leader Sonia Gandhi said on Saturday that the ruling dispensation was undoing the work of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government. "The Modi government is not interested in addressing the needs of the poor. They are just ignoring and weakening the welfare programmes that we implemented it when we were in power," Sonia said while addressing party leaders at the 84th Congress plenary session, being held here. "In the last four years, this arrogant (Modi) government has left no stone unturned to destroy Congress. But Congress has never cowered down and it will never cower down," she asserted. The former Congress president continued her tirade against the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government claiming that her party was "exposing fraud and corruption" by the Modi government using proof. Commenting on the rise of communal violence and lawlessness in the country under the BJP government, Sonia added, "Wherever there is a non-Congress government, our friends are taking a stand against anarchy and violence in different places. They are continuing with their work and braving all of it. It is the Congress party which takes stand against injustice and raises its voice against it (violence)." Vowing to make India free from political vendetta and corruption, Sonia underscored that it was important for all to address the challenges and called for efforts to fulfill a 'corruption-free India' under the leadership of her son and Congress President Rahul Gandhi respectively. She also took a jibe at the BJP-led government's slogans of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' and 'Na khaaoonga na khaane doona', saying that it was nothing but "drama and tactic" by the prime minister to garner votes. Sonia went on to say that during former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's rule at the Centre for 10 years, India had achieved a very high economic growth. Citing the example of late Indira Gandhi's stunning victory at Chikmagalur in Karnataka 40 years ago, the Congress veteran further said the party had to rediscover the 'magic' of winning the next year's general elections, adding that the Congress party's victory would be equal to a victory for the country. Sonia also praised Rahul for taking over as the Congress President at such a 'challenging time' and underscored that under her son's leadership, the party would reach new heights. The grand-old party at the plenary session will ratify Rahul's appointment as the Congress President and select members for the Congress Working Committee.

PM Modi govt weakening UPA's welfare schemes: Sonia Gandhi

<p>Congress President Rahul Gandhi alleged a &quot;scam&quot; Tuesday in the Rafael deal, after Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman refused to disclose details of the deal on Monday.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;For the first time, the defence minister is saying that we will not share details of money spent on buying the aircraft...I spoke during the Gujarat polls that there is a scam (in the Rafale deal). Modi ji has personally got the deal done,&quot; PTI quoted Gandhi as telling reporters outside Parliament.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;Modi ji had personally gone to Paris. Personally the deal was changed. The entire India knows it. And the defence minister is saying she will not inform India, the Indian martyrs and their relatives about the money spent on buying those aircraft. What does this mean? This only means there is some scam,&quot; Gandhi added.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The Defence Minister says that we will not reveal the amount paid for buying <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Rafael?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Rafael</a> aircrafts. What does this mean? This only means there is a scam. Modi ji personally went to Paris, he changed the deal. The whole country knows it: Congress President Rahul Gandhi <a href="https://t.co/C81lszYE9g">pic.twitter.com/C81lszYE9g</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/960838110404849665?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">February 6, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>Sitharaman had told Parliament on Monday that the government cannot disclose details of the fighter jet deal because of a secrecy pact between the governments of India and France.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Her response was to a written question in Rajya Sabha by Samajwadi Party member Naresh Agrawal, who had asked whether the government did not want to disclose in public domain the agreement between India and France for purchasing the aircraft.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Leaders of the Congress and Samajwadi party had sought disclosure of the amount being paid in the present deal.</p>

<p>The Congress has alleged that the price paid for the jets by the NDA government is higher than that finalised by the UPA in the previous deal.</p>

<p>Sitharaman was also asked whether there was any involvement of a private sector company in the deal, to which she clarified that neither any public sector nor private sector company was included in the agreement.</p>

<p>Sitharaman further added that the deal has been finalised at an amount lower than the earlier deal.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

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'The defence minister is saying she will not inform India... What does this mean? This only means there is some scam,' said Rahul

Congress President Rahul Gandhi alleged a "scam" Tuesday in the Rafael deal, after Defence Minister Nirmala Sitharaman refused to disclose details of the deal on Monday. "For the first time, the defence minister is saying that we will not share details of money spent on buying the aircraft...I spoke during the Gujarat polls that there is a scam (in the Rafale deal). Modi ji has personally got the deal done," PTI quoted Gandhi as telling reporters outside Parliament. "Modi ji had personally gone to Paris. Personally the deal was changed. The entire India knows it. And the defence minister is saying she will not inform India, the Indian martyrs and their relatives about the money spent on buying those aircraft. What does this mean? This only means there is some scam," Gandhi added. The Defence Minister says that we will not reveal the amount paid for buying #Rafael aircrafts. What does this mean? This only means there is a scam. Modi ji personally went to Paris, he changed the deal. The whole country knows it: Congress President Rahul Gandhi pic.twitter.com/C81lszYE9g — ANI (@ANI) February 6, 2018 × Sitharaman had told Parliament on Monday that the government cannot disclose details of the fighter jet deal because of a secrecy pact between the governments of India and France. Her response was to a written question in Rajya Sabha by Samajwadi Party member Naresh Agrawal, who had asked whether the government did not want to disclose in public domain the agreement between India and France for purchasing the aircraft. Leaders of the Congress and Samajwadi party had sought disclosure of the amount being paid in the present deal. The Congress has alleged that the price paid for the jets by the NDA government is higher than that finalised by the UPA in the previous deal. Sitharaman was also asked whether there was any involvement of a private sector company in the deal, to which she clarified that neither any public sector nor private sector company was included in the agreement. Sitharaman further added that the deal has been finalised at an amount lower than the earlier deal.

Rahul alleges 'scam' in Rafale deal

<p>Terror-related incidents happened fewer under BJP government than UPA rule, shows an official data accessed by the news agency ANI.</p>

<p>ANI revealed data of Jammu and Kashmir terror incidents which shows how such incidents happened less during&nbsp;BJP government as&nbsp;compared to the UPA government.</p>

<p>More terrorist have been killed by security forces during the BJP government than under UPA.</p>

<p>580 terrorist have been killed since BJP took charge in 2014, though under UPA rule 471 were killed.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">J&amp;K Terror incidents: Acc. to latest official data accessed by ANI more terrorists were killed by security forces during BJP govt than in UPA. BJP Govt (2014,2015,2016&amp;2017) number of terrorists killed were 580 vs UPA govt (2010,2011,2012,2013) no. of terrorists killed were 471.</p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/948136233107988480?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>The data also shows that lesser number of civilians deaths in terrorist-related violence happened under BJP government.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Under BJP rule there were 100 casualties and in UPA&#39;s tenure from 2010 to 2013 there were 108 casualties.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">J&amp;K Terror incidents: Latest official data accessed by ANI there were lesser number of civilians killed in terrorist related violence in BJP govt than UPA. BJP Govt (2014, 2015, 2016 &amp; 2017) there were 100 casualties vs UPA govt (2010, 2011, 2012 &amp; 2013) there were 108 casualties</p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/948136231304445952?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>Also in terror-related incidents, it saw a dip under BJP government.</p>

<p>There were 1094 terror-related incidents under BJP government and 1218 incidents under UPA rule.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">J&amp;K Terror Incidents: According to latest official data accessed by ANI there were lesser terror related incidents in BJP govt than UPA govt. BJP (2014, 2015, 2016 &amp; 2017) there were 1094 incidents vs UPA (2010, 2011, 2012 &amp; 2013) there were 1218 incidents.</p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/948136229261864960?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 2, 2018</a></blockquote>
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<p>In the past,&nbsp; Prime Minister&nbsp;Narendra Modi has repeatedly claimed that terrorism has been reduced especially in Jammu and Kashmir.</p>

<p>On Tuesday, Union Minister Hansraj Ahir announced in Lok Sabha&nbsp;that&nbsp;10,000 crores have been taken aside for internal security related expenditure in Jammu and Kashmir, Northeastern region and the Naxal-hit areas.</p>


Today ANI revealed a data of Jammu and Kashmir terror incidents which shows how such incidents happened less in BJP government in compare to UPA government

Terror-related incidents happened fewer under BJP government than UPA rule, shows an official data accessed by the news agency ANI. ANI revealed data of Jammu and Kashmir terror incidents which shows how such incidents happened less during BJP government as compared to the UPA government. More terrorist have been killed by security forces during the BJP government than under UPA. 580 terrorist have been killed since BJP took charge in 2014, though under UPA rule 471 were killed. J&K Terror incidents: Acc. to latest official data accessed by ANI more terrorists were killed by security forces during BJP govt than in UPA. BJP Govt (2014,2015,2016&2017) number of terrorists killed were 580 vs UPA govt (2010,2011,2012,2013) no. of terrorists killed were 471. — ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2018 × The data also shows that lesser number of civilians deaths in terrorist-related violence happened under BJP government. Under BJP rule there were 100 casualties and in UPA's tenure from 2010 to 2013 there were 108 casualties. J&K Terror incidents: Latest official data accessed by ANI there were lesser number of civilians killed in terrorist related violence in BJP govt than UPA. BJP Govt (2014, 2015, 2016 & 2017) there were 100 casualties vs UPA govt (2010, 2011, 2012 & 2013) there were 108 casualties — ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2018 × Also in terror-related incidents, it saw a dip under BJP government. There were 1094 terror-related incidents under BJP government and 1218 incidents under UPA rule. J&K Terror Incidents: According to latest official data accessed by ANI there were lesser terror related incidents in BJP govt than UPA govt. BJP (2014, 2015, 2016 & 2017) there were 1094 incidents vs UPA (2010, 2011, 2012 & 2013) there were 1218 incidents. — ANI (@ANI) January 2, 2018 × In the past, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has repeatedly claimed that terrorism has been reduced especially in Jammu and Kashmir. On Tuesday, Union Minister Hansraj Ahir announced in Lok Sabha that 10,000 crores have been taken aside for internal security related expenditure in Jammu and Kashmir, Northeastern region and the Naxal-hit areas.

Lesser terror attacks in Jammu and Kashmir under BJP rule: Report

<p>The Delhi Patiala House court hearing the 2G spectrum scam case will pronounce its verdict December 21.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Delhi?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Delhi</a>&#39;s Patiala House Court to pronounce verdict in 2G spectrum scam case on 21st December. <a href="https://t.co/LaVePX237e">pic.twitter.com/LaVePX237e</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/937905812474699777?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>The case refers to the sale of mobile spectrum under the former UPA government.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Comptroller and Auditor General had flagged the sale, saying spectrum was sold at undervalued rates which had caused a loss to the exchequer.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Former telecom minister A Raja is accused in the case.&nbsp;</p>

<p>&quot;I am not a judge, I am a law-abiding citizen, I faced trial and have faith in the judiciary,&quot; ANI reported Raja as saying after the announcement.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">I am not a judge, I am a law abiding citizen, I faced trial &amp; have faith in the judiciary; A. Raja, one of the accused in 2G scam case on being asked about his expectations about verdict pronouncement on 21 December. <a href="https://t.co/hLrWOTTttZ">pic.twitter.com/hLrWOTTttZ</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/937925354152325121?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>&quot;Let us see,&quot; said Kanimozhi when asked what the verdict might say.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">One of the accused in 2G spectrum scam case, Tamil Nadu MP Kanimozhi leaves from Patiala House Court, says &#39;let us see&#39; on being asked of her expectation on the final hearing on 21st December. <a href="https://t.co/tJ1F3GOqgq">pic.twitter.com/tJ1F3GOqgq</a></p>
&mdash; ANI (@ANI) <a href="https://twitter.com/ANI/status/937908296492531712?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">December 5, 2017</a></blockquote>
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<p>Kanimozhi is accused in a related money-laundering case.&nbsp;</p>


Former telecom minister A Raja is accused in the case

The Delhi Patiala House court hearing the 2G spectrum scam case will pronounce its verdict December 21. #Delhi's Patiala House Court to pronounce verdict in 2G spectrum scam case on 21st December. pic.twitter.com/LaVePX237e — ANI (@ANI) December 5, 2017 × The case refers to the sale of mobile spectrum under the former UPA government. The Comptroller and Auditor General had flagged the sale, saying spectrum was sold at undervalued rates which had caused a loss to the exchequer. Former telecom minister A Raja is accused in the case. "I am not a judge, I am a law-abiding citizen, I faced trial and have faith in the judiciary," ANI reported Raja as saying after the announcement. I am not a judge, I am a law abiding citizen, I faced trial & have faith in the judiciary; A. Raja, one of the accused in 2G scam case on being asked about his expectations about verdict pronouncement on 21 December. pic.twitter.com/hLrWOTTttZ — ANI (@ANI) December 5, 2017 × "Let us see," said Kanimozhi when asked what the verdict might say. One of the accused in 2G spectrum scam case, Tamil Nadu MP Kanimozhi leaves from Patiala House Court, says 'let us see' on being asked of her expectation on the final hearing on 21st December. pic.twitter.com/tJ1F3GOqgq — ANI (@ANI) December 5, 2017 × Kanimozhi is accused in a related money-laundering case.

2G scam: Court to pronounce verdict on December 21, Raja says 'have faith in judiciary'

<p>BJP is in the striking distance of getting a president elected who will hail completely from a non-Congress stock. For the first time in post-independent India, BJP will be electing a president without any help from parties who are ideologically opposed to it.&nbsp;</p>

<p>So, it brings us to the question as what the presidential candidate would look like? The history proves that largely, presidential candidates bore the will of the prime minister or the one who controlled the lever of power, which in the case of the UPA government in both its phases was Congress President Sonia Gandhi.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The early years of the republic saw the office of the president being occupied by those who led India&#39;s freedom struggle; they were held in high esteem by the Congress party.</p>

<p>The list of the &lsquo;firsts&rsquo; includes Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and Dr. Zakir Hussain. Dr. Prasad was a volunteer with Gandhi during Champaran movement in 1916. Despite differences of opinion between Nehru and Rajendra Babu, representing the Left and Right ideas respectively, the two leaders co-existed. Their mutual respect was born out of their shared struggle. Each acknowledged the significance and contribution of the other.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Radhakrishnan who went on to become the president in 1962 was an educationist and a politician in shadows. He became vice president of the country in 1952 but wasn&rsquo;t overtly part of the freedom struggle or the Congress Party. He was an educationist whose birthday is celebrated as Teacher&rsquo;s day in India. Dr. Zakir Hussain too was an educationist and co-founder of the Jamia Millia Islamia University. He served as the second vice president of India. Their election, more than anything else, reflects a Congress party increasingly being dominated by Nehru in the post-1950s.</p>

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<h5>Fakhruddin Ali Ahmad shamed the country by signing the proclamation of the emergency, demonstrating his commitment towards an individual rather than the Indian republic.</h5>
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<p>Rajendra Prasad, Radhakrishnan, &nbsp;Zakir Hussain constituted the compatriots, achievers, authors and visionaries of the new Indian republic. They were first amongst the equals.</p>

<p>Post-1969 all the presidents, including KR Narayanan came from active Congress stable. Most of them had the opportunity to interact with MK Gandhi, and subsequently, make a smooth transition to various spheres of government at the centre and states after 1952.&nbsp;</p>

<p>All of them were minted in the Congress tradition and were aware of the rise of Indira Gandhi in the political ecosystem. Also, they were insiders who served as the Members of Parliament, ministers and chief ministers under Nehru, Shastri and Indira Gandhi when they were the prime minister. But for the selection to high office, loyalty became an important parameter.<br />
&nbsp;<br />
VV Giri became the president, defeating the official candidate of the Congress, Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy when Indira Gandhi called for a conscience vote opposed to the &quot;syndicate&quot; in the party.&nbsp;</p>

<p>All the former presidents, including Shankar Dayal Sharma were dyed-in-the-wool Congressmen. Even KR Narayanan, a Foreign Service officer got his break from India&rsquo;s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on Harold Laski&rsquo;s letter. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmad shamed the country by signing the proclamation of the emergency, demonstrating his commitment towards an individual rather than the Indian republic. Zail Singh openly sang peons for Indira Gandhi, though Singh eventually fell out with her son Rajiv Gandhi. Both of them, however, professed loyalty towards Indira Gandhi.</p>

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<h5>Vipakash kee Sarkar mein bhi Congress ka hee raj hota hai.</h5>
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<p>Congressmen became the Union president even when the power in the center happened to be in the hands of non-Congress parties.<br />
For instance, when Janata Party came to power in 1977, Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy was elected unopposed as the president. Morarji Desai was the prime minister and, ironically, both were ex-Congressmen. &nbsp;It led to the famous saying: &quot;Vipakash kee Sarkar mein bhi Congress ka hee raj hota hai.&rdquo;</p>

<p>It didn&rsquo;t matter much in 1977 but did become an issue in 2002 when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was interested in getting a prominent Congress man Krishan Kant elected as the president but couldn&rsquo;t owing to the opposition from hardliners in his party.</p>

<p>It is in this backdrop Prime Minister Narendra Modi will nominate BJP&rsquo;s candidate who will truly belong to his ecosystem. An emaciated Congress in 1991 was able to elect Shankar Dayal Sharma as the president who Sonia Gandhi wanted to become the prime minister after Rajiv Gandhi&rsquo;s assassination. He declined, and PV Narasimha Rao got the opportunity to become one. A year later Sharma went on to become the president.</p>

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<h5>Pratibha Patil was a result of a larger alliance built by Congress to push a non-controversial Congress candidate on the basis of loyalty and gender.</h5>
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<p>Lastly, APJ Kalam went on to become the president though BJP did not have the number in the electoral college but succeeded because of the Congress support. The Congress High Command supported Kalam because it didn&rsquo;t want to go with the Left-supported candidature of Captain Lakshmi Sehgal. On the other hand, Pratibha Patil was a result of a larger alliance built by Congress to push a non-controversial Congress candidate on the basis of loyalty and gender. It would be noteworthy that even Left had its say in the election of the vice president when Hamid Ansari occupied the office.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The last of them is current president Dr Pranab Mukherji who became the president out of his will and his ability to influence players across the political spectrum.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This brings us back again to the question on the type of person Narendra Modi would like to ascend to Raisina Hill? To put it simply, he will be a person of complete non-Congress stock. He or she would have either worked with or through the ranks of the RSS. The person&rsquo;s ideological loyalty to the RSS-BJP will be unquestioned. Such a president would showcase the autonomy of the government in electing their own man.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Despite short of numbers, the Congress lately was able to elect presidents of its choosing because it dominated the ideological ecosystem of the country. The only compromise that the Congress party made was that for the position of the vice president because it required the support of the Left to survive in 2007.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The issue is whether BJP would fall into the trap of sectional representation like South, tribal, gender or Dalit categories? Though the Congress never overtly acknowledged but partook the claim to have nominated the first Dalit as the President in KR Narayanan. Sonia Gandhi got lackluster Pratibha Patel as the president for the reason she is a woman. Vajpayee had to make do with Kalam because Congress couldn&rsquo;t say no to a candidate of minority dispensation. His name was suggested by Mulayam Singh Yadav and brokered by V. Naidu.</p>

<p>In 2017, none of the above-mentioned constraints exist for BJP. Once the party is done deliberating with other political parties, it is expected to announce one of their own as the presidential candidate. The BJP-nominated candidate would share the party&#39;s cultural and ideological ecosystem in complete opposition to the Left-Congress imagination of the Indian landscape. Whether it comes in the shape of Sushma Swaraj, Sumitra Mahajan, Draupadi Murmu, the person will owe his nomination to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He will bear Prime Minister Narendra Modi&rsquo;s signature who in Vajpayee&rsquo;s absence has become the &lsquo;pratham purush&rsquo; or the first man of the government, party and ideology.&nbsp;</p>

<p>So, let&rsquo;s wait for the name.</p>


BJP's presidential candidate will bear Prime Minister Modi's ideological signature.

BJP is in the striking distance of getting a president elected who will hail completely from a non-Congress stock. For the first time in post-independent India, BJP will be electing a president without any help from parties who are ideologically opposed to it. So, it brings us to the question as what the presidential candidate would look like? The history proves that largely, presidential candidates bore the will of the prime minister or the one who controlled the lever of power, which in the case of the UPA government in both its phases was Congress President Sonia Gandhi. The early years of the republic saw the office of the president being occupied by those who led India's freedom struggle; they were held in high esteem by the Congress party. The list of the ‘firsts’ includes Dr. Rajendra Prasad, Sarvepalli Radhakrishnan and Dr. Zakir Hussain. Dr. Prasad was a volunteer with Gandhi during Champaran movement in 1916. Despite differences of opinion between Nehru and Rajendra Babu, representing the Left and Right ideas respectively, the two leaders co-existed. Their mutual respect was born out of their shared struggle. Each acknowledged the significance and contribution of the other. Radhakrishnan who went on to become the president in 1962 was an educationist and a politician in shadows. He became vice president of the country in 1952 but wasn’t overtly part of the freedom struggle or the Congress Party. He was an educationist whose birthday is celebrated as Teacher’s day in India. Dr. Zakir Hussain too was an educationist and co-founder of the Jamia Millia Islamia University. He served as the second vice president of India. Their election, more than anything else, reflects a Congress party increasingly being dominated by Nehru in the post-1950s. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmad shamed the country by signing the proclamation of the emergency, demonstrating his commitment towards an individual rather than the Indian republic. × Rajendra Prasad, Radhakrishnan, Zakir Hussain constituted the compatriots, achievers, authors and visionaries of the new Indian republic. They were first amongst the equals. Post-1969 all the presidents, including KR Narayanan came from active Congress stable. Most of them had the opportunity to interact with MK Gandhi, and subsequently, make a smooth transition to various spheres of government at the centre and states after 1952. All of them were minted in the Congress tradition and were aware of the rise of Indira Gandhi in the political ecosystem. Also, they were insiders who served as the Members of Parliament, ministers and chief ministers under Nehru, Shastri and Indira Gandhi when they were the prime minister. But for the selection to high office, loyalty became an important parameter. VV Giri became the president, defeating the official candidate of the Congress, Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy when Indira Gandhi called for a conscience vote opposed to the "syndicate" in the party. All the former presidents, including Shankar Dayal Sharma were dyed-in-the-wool Congressmen. Even KR Narayanan, a Foreign Service officer got his break from India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru on Harold Laski’s letter. Fakhruddin Ali Ahmad shamed the country by signing the proclamation of the emergency, demonstrating his commitment towards an individual rather than the Indian republic. Zail Singh openly sang peons for Indira Gandhi, though Singh eventually fell out with her son Rajiv Gandhi. Both of them, however, professed loyalty towards Indira Gandhi. Vipakash kee Sarkar mein bhi Congress ka hee raj hota hai. × Congressmen became the Union president even when the power in the center happened to be in the hands of non-Congress parties. For instance, when Janata Party came to power in 1977, Neelam Sanjeeva Reddy was elected unopposed as the president. Morarji Desai was the prime minister and, ironically, both were ex-Congressmen. It led to the famous saying: "Vipakash kee Sarkar mein bhi Congress ka hee raj hota hai.” It didn’t matter much in 1977 but did become an issue in 2002 when Atal Bihari Vajpayee was interested in getting a prominent Congress man Krishan Kant elected as the president but couldn’t owing to the opposition from hardliners in his party. It is in this backdrop Prime Minister Narendra Modi will nominate BJP’s candidate who will truly belong to his ecosystem. An emaciated Congress in 1991 was able to elect Shankar Dayal Sharma as the president who Sonia Gandhi wanted to become the prime minister after Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination. He declined, and PV Narasimha Rao got the opportunity to become one. A year later Sharma went on to become the president. Pratibha Patil was a result of a larger alliance built by Congress to push a non-controversial Congress candidate on the basis of loyalty and gender. × Lastly, APJ Kalam went on to become the president though BJP did not have the number in the electoral college but succeeded because of the Congress support. The Congress High Command supported Kalam because it didn’t want to go with the Left-supported candidature of Captain Lakshmi Sehgal. On the other hand, Pratibha Patil was a result of a larger alliance built by Congress to push a non-controversial Congress candidate on the basis of loyalty and gender. It would be noteworthy that even Left had its say in the election of the vice president when Hamid Ansari occupied the office. The last of them is current president Dr Pranab Mukherji who became the president out of his will and his ability to influence players across the political spectrum. This brings us back again to the question on the type of person Narendra Modi would like to ascend to Raisina Hill? To put it simply, he will be a person of complete non-Congress stock. He or she would have either worked with or through the ranks of the RSS. The person’s ideological loyalty to the RSS-BJP will be unquestioned. Such a president would showcase the autonomy of the government in electing their own man. Despite short of numbers, the Congress lately was able to elect presidents of its choosing because it dominated the ideological ecosystem of the country. The only compromise that the Congress party made was that for the position of the vice president because it required the support of the Left to survive in 2007. The issue is whether BJP would fall into the trap of sectional representation like South, tribal, gender or Dalit categories? Though the Congress never overtly acknowledged but partook the claim to have nominated the first Dalit as the President in KR Narayanan. Sonia Gandhi got lackluster Pratibha Patel as the president for the reason she is a woman. Vajpayee had to make do with Kalam because Congress couldn’t say no to a candidate of minority dispensation. His name was suggested by Mulayam Singh Yadav and brokered by V. Naidu. In 2017, none of the above-mentioned constraints exist for BJP. Once the party is done deliberating with other political parties, it is expected to announce one of their own as the presidential candidate. The BJP-nominated candidate would share the party's cultural and ideological ecosystem in complete opposition to the Left-Congress imagination of the Indian landscape. Whether it comes in the shape of Sushma Swaraj, Sumitra Mahajan, Draupadi Murmu, the person will owe his nomination to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He will bear Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s signature who in Vajpayee’s absence has become the ‘pratham purush’ or the first man of the government, party and ideology. So, let’s wait for the name.

Who will be India's new president?

Indian ministry of defence today said that it was seeking information from the manufacturers of the Embraer aircraft over alleged payment of bribes in a three-aircraft deal inked in 2008 under the tenure of United Progressive Alliance (UPA government).&nbsp;<br />
<br />
&quot;DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) to seek explanation and details from manufacturers of Embraer aircraft on media reports on deal for the aircraft signed in 2008,&quot; principal spokesperson, ministry of defence, tweeted taking cognizance of the media reports about the deal coming under the US scanner.&nbsp;<br />
&nbsp;
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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">DRDO to seek explanation &amp; details from manufacturers of Embraer aircraft on media reports on deal for the aircraft signed in 2008.1/2</p>
&mdash; DPR (@SpokespersonMoD) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpokespersonMoD/status/774477080155258880">September 10, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<p>&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">On receipt of information by DRDO further steps may be initiated.2/2</p>
&mdash; DPR (@SpokespersonMoD) <a href="https://twitter.com/SpokespersonMoD/status/774477357667196928">September 10, 2016</a></blockquote>
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<p>&quot;On receipt of information by DRDO further steps may be initiated,&quot; the spokesperson said in another tweet.<br />
<br />
The Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer is being probed by prosecutors in Brazil and the US Justice Department, according to media reports, over commissions allegedly paid to a UK-based defence agent for clinching the 2008 deal.<br />
<br />
After the controversy over the 2013&nbsp;Agustawestland&nbsp;chopper deal, where several politicians of&nbsp;former UPA government were accused of taking bribes, the Embraer deal has yet again cast a shadow on the grand old Congress party that led the alliance. The scam was termed as &#39;VVIP chopper scam&#39;&nbsp;or &#39;choppergate&#39; by local media.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
It&#39;s pertinent to mention that three EMB-145 planes for $208 million were purchased under the deal. &nbsp;While the first aircraft was delivered in 2011, the other two were delivered later.<br />
<br />
According to media reports, the research and development wing of the ministry of defence, DRDO, has denied any knowledge on the matter.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
(WION with inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</p>


The Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer is being probed by prosecutors in Brazil and the US Justice Department

Indian ministry of defence today said that it was seeking information from the manufacturers of the Embraer aircraft over alleged payment of bribes in a three-aircraft deal inked in 2008 under the tenure of United Progressive Alliance (UPA government). "DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) to seek explanation and details from manufacturers of Embraer aircraft on media reports on deal for the aircraft signed in 2008," principal spokesperson, ministry of defence, tweeted taking cognizance of the media reports about the deal coming under the US scanner. DRDO to seek explanation & details from manufacturers of Embraer aircraft on media reports on deal for the aircraft signed in 2008.1/2 — DPR (@SpokespersonMoD) September 10, 2016 On receipt of information by DRDO further steps may be initiated.2/2 — DPR (@SpokespersonMoD) September 10, 2016 "On receipt of information by DRDO further steps may be initiated," the spokesperson said in another tweet. The Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer is being probed by prosecutors in Brazil and the US Justice Department, according to media reports, over commissions allegedly paid to a UK-based defence agent for clinching the 2008 deal. After the controversy over the 2013 Agustawestland chopper deal, where several politicians of former UPA government were accused of taking bribes, the Embraer deal has yet again cast a shadow on the grand old Congress party that led the alliance. The scam was termed as 'VVIP chopper scam' or 'choppergate' by local media. It's pertinent to mention that three EMB-145 planes for $208 million were purchased under the deal. While the first aircraft was delivered in 2011, the other two were delivered later. According to media reports, the research and development wing of the ministry of defence, DRDO, has denied any knowledge on the matter. (WION with inputs from agencies)

Indian defence ministry seeking details of $208 mn Embraer deal amid graft allegations

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